


Unfounded Jealousy

by stonegirl77



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, F/M, Jealous Steve Rogers, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 03:04:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8827975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stonegirl77/pseuds/stonegirl77
Summary: From the prompt: Imagine Steve getting jealous when he sees you with Tony(I don't know where this one's from, so if it's yours, let me know, and I'll credit you!)





	1. Steve

**Author's Note:**

> So this is something different for me, and I'm not sure how it went... I hope you like it!

She looked beautiful tonight.

Not that she didn’t look beautiful all the time. Steve shook his head. This was the reason he was crap with romance.

But anyway. He looked over at her again. Her dress was practically falling off her shoulders, nipped in at the waist, then flared out so it had a skirt like the ones he remembered, the kind that would twirl out when girls danced. Steve spared a thought wondering what it would be like to dance with her, then discarded the notion. Even if he could dance, he wouldn’t be your partner of choice.

No.

He stuck his nose back in his drink, trying to get his expression under control. This was supposed to be a party. A ‘We saved the world again’ party. Steve let his breath rush out of him all at once. _Not that we don’t save the world at least once a week. And not that it does a lick of good once we do._ Sometimes things in the 21 st century felt just as broken as back in the 40s.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Steve looked up to find Dr. Banner behind the bar.

“You bartending?” he asked instead.

“Might be,” the scientist agreed. “And as such, care to share your innermost thoughts over copious amounts of alcohol?”

Steve snorted. “That might apply. If I could get drunk.” He looked at the liquor behind Banner. “Any chance we have any of that Asgardian mead Thor brought last time?”

Banner shook his head. “Nope. Thor downed it last Thursday.” Another shake of the head. “At some point he’ll get used to the fact that Thursday does come once a week. Or Thorsday.” Steve returned the smile. “So. What’s up?”

Steve took another sip of whatever it was he had to drink. Some kind of Bourbon, he thought Rhodey had said. In spite of himself, he glanced over to where she was, in that dress, standing there, drink in hand, talking to Stark.

_Stark._

“Woman troubles?” Steve’s head shot around to Banner, eyebrows raising. Banner just looked back, unruffled. “Gonna tell me I’m wrong?”

“Gotta tell you, barkeep,” Steve drawled, slipping back into his native accent. “Woman done me wrong.” He shook himself. “But that’s not true. She hasn’t done anything wrong. Especially not to me. I’m just…” he trailed off.

“Jealous.” Steve’s attention had wandered, back to her, the way she was fiddling with the shoulder of her dress, wondering exactly how delicately that bit of fabric was perching on her shoulder - how much effort it would take to push it down her arm. But at Banner’s word, he snapped his attention back to the scientist.

“I’m not -“ he began, realised he was speaking too loudly, then tried again. “I’m not jealous.” Except that he realised Banner was right. He was jealous. Of Stark. Of Stark talking easily with her, of her going over to Stark and saying hello. Of Stark spending time with her. Especially when all Steve got to see of her was operational briefings and meetings by the coffee machine. “Ok. Maybe I am jealous.” He sighed. “But she’s with Stark.”

“Talking with Tony,” Bruce said. Steve’s eyebrow raised in question. “She’s talking with him. I know they met while she was at MIT - Tony did a guest lecture and they hit it off - it’s why she started at SI before moving to SHIELD once they integrated. They’re old friends.” Steve had been looking at her again, and this time, she turned. She caught him staring, smiled, and waved. Steve was so shocked he barely had time to raise his glass before she turned and said something to Stark.

“See?” Banner asked.

“See what?”

Banner sighed. “She doesn’t like Stark. Take that from me. And if you care enough about that to be sulking in a corner, man up and talk to her.”

“You know ‘man up’ isn’t the best phrase to use,” Steve began, “It’s not like women don’t -“

“I know, I know,” Bruce leaned over the bar and pushed him off the stool. “Get going. You can tell me all about the implicit antifeminist bias of that phrase later. Talk to her!”

Steve stood upright, saving his drink from ending up on his shirt - _and wouldn’t that just be the perfect ending to this shindig?_ \- took a breath, and made his way over to where she and Stark were talking.

“Cap!” Stark noticed him when he was a few feet away, and she turned as well, skirt swishing as she moved.

“Tony,” he said, “Y/N.”

“Hi, Steve,” she said, and was it his imagination, or was the red on her cheeks more pronounced? “Tony and I were just talking about improvements to your suit - I was thinking if we altered the cowl a bit, we could attach those night vision goggles you were talking about.” She looked up at Tony when he put a hand on her shoulder. Steve didn’t know what to feel - they were talking about him? About his suit?

“I’ll leave you to debrief Cap,” he said, eyebrows waggling. This time Steve could see her blush and feel his own.

“Stark,” he protested.

“Or do you want me to stay?” Stark asked, the picture of innocence.

“Leave,” she said, giving Stark a shove. “Now. Look, over there - I think Pepper’s looking for you.”

Tony searched the crowd in that direction, and his face lit as he spotted Pepper. “Ok, gotta go. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t!”

“That doesn’t leave much out,” she murmured, then blushed again when she realised Steve had overheard. She looked lovely when she blushed.

“So, the suit?” he asked, wanting to get her talking again, more comfortable.

“The suit- of course!” she lit up as she smiled. “I know you were talking about wanting a night vision mount for your helmet, but that there wasn’t room. -“

Steve listened, offering a suggestion here or there, just enjoying being next to her. And when their talk drifted into the best coffee shop next to the base, or the fact that she was wanting to take up a martial art and which one she should pick well, he wasn’t complaining.

And when they ended up the last people at the party, migrating to the now-empty bar and talking well into the early morning, well, Steve might even venture to say the evening had turned out well. Especially if she was there at the end of it.


	2. Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unfounded Jealousy from her point of view...

I adjusted my sleeves nervously as I stood in the elevator.

The dress looked good. I knew that. The ice-blue satin stood out against my skin, the full skirt made my waist look tiny, and I felt pretty in it.

But was that enough?

The doors opened and I stepped out, mentally kicking myself in the ass. _Even if Steve doesn’t look at you twice, you’re not just here for him - this party is for SHIELD agents as much as it is for Avengers._

_Liar._

I went straight to the bar to grab my favourite social crutch.

“Oh, hi, Doctor B!” I said, surprised to find Banner behind the bar.

“Y/N,” Banner replied with a smile. “Nice to see you - nice dress.”

“Thanks,” I said, looking down.

“So, what’s your poison?” Banner asked. “Tony keeps the place stocked.”

“I’m sure he does.” I looked at the bottles behind him. “How about… is that saffron gin behind you?”

Banner looked over his shoulder, then nodded. “Yup.”

“Can you do me a gin and tonic with that and a bit of elderflower? I know Tony has some lying around somewhere.”

“I’ll find it.” Banner grabbed the gin. “Single or double?”

“Single. I like to keep some semblance of wits about me.”

Banner chuckled. “Probably a good idea. Or you might wake up with NSFW murals on your face.”

“He’s still doing that?” I laughed, remembering the time I’d conspired with my class to make Stark’s dummies paint various things on him while he was passed out.

“Whatever you did, he’s still talking about,” Banner replied, adding the elderflower and the tonic. “Here you go.”

“Thanks, doc,” I said.

“You’re most welcome - and you know you can call me Bruce, right?”

I shook my head. “Until I have at least one PhD, that’s not going to happen. See ya later.”

With my drink firmly in hand, I walked into the sea of people, passing people I knew, if only vaguely. Colonel Rhodes was holding court with some of the newer SHIELD hires, and he nodded as I went past. I gave him a toast with my drink as I took my first sip.

“Small Fry!” I didn’t have to turn to know who was calling me over. Sure enough, when I turned, Tony Stark was beckoning me over.

“Hey, Tony,” I said. “How’re the ribs?”

“Nothing a little Percocet can’t cure,” Tony said with a grin. “And before you ask, this is coke - Bruce wouldn’t give me alcohol.”

“With reason,” I said repressively.

“You look fancy - trying to impress someone?” Tony sidled closer, waggling his eyebrows to make me giggle.

So giggle I did. “Maybe I just like the dress,” I suggested instead.

“Is that why Cap’s looking like someone hit him over the head with Mjolnir?” Tony asked, gesturing to my right.

I looked.

I couldn’t help it.

There he was, next to Thor and Sam Wilson, in that damn blue shirt that made his eyes seem even bluer, staring at me. I gave him a half-wave, and he raised his hand half-heartedly in return.

“So?” I asked Tony, once I’d turned around again. “He was looking - probably surprised to see me in a dress with so much flouff.”

“Sure,” Tony said, then, to my surprise, dropped it. Instead, he and I kept talking. About improvements to his suit, and to Rhodey’s. Being the quartermaster for the Avengers had its perks - like getting my hands on all the cool toys.

Then we segued into the new modifications for Sam’s suit, and for Redwing, and for that, we needed Sam, who came over and chatted.

And then, at long last, we came to Steve’s suit.

“If we just modify the helmet a little bit, I bet we could jury-rig it on there, at least for now,” I said, gesturing with my now-empty glass. I’d stayed away from the bar now my drink was empty - because Steve was there, sleeves now pushed up past his elbows, looking like any woman’s idea of the perfect man. And I was avoiding him. Because no matter whether or not I’d put on this dress to look pretty for a certain someone, I had the distinct tendency to get tongue-tied around a certain Captain when it wasn’t about work.

“Did you just say jury-rig?” Tony asked incredulously.

“Come on - it’s just for a few weeks. Until you redesign it,” I cajoled. “Besides, the longer it’s _jury-rigged_ ,” I said, emphasising the word I knew drove him nuts, “the more incentive you have to actually make the helmet properly.”

“Don’t look now, but lover boy is staring daggers at me again.”

So I looked. Again.

“I said not to look!” Tony said, although I knew he was kidding. He’d been bugging me about Steve at regular intervals since I’d showed up. Steve was looking at me. Again. I still didn’t know what to make of it, but I gave him a smile and a wave. He raised his glass, and I spun back to Tony.

“You asshole. Why do you keep doing that?” I didn’t wait for an answer, not that I was sure I wanted to hear one. “Anyway, about that helmet-“

“Loverboy’s coming over,” Tony said.

“Yeah. Right,” I rolled my eyes. “Come on, Tony. Really. Stop it.”

“Cap!” Tony said, and I turned, eyes widening as I saw Steve a few feet away.

“Tony,” he said in greeting. “Y/N.” I blushed as I felt his eyes sweep up and down my body.

“Hi Steve,” I said, desperate to not look like an idiot. _Work. You can always talk about work._ “Tony and I were just talking about improvements to your suit - I was thinking if we altered the cowl a bit, we could attach those night vision goggles you were talking about.” _See? You can do this. Just pretend it’s a normal day at the office._

But Steve was looking at me funny, and Tony had to butt in.

“I’ll leave you to debrief Cap,” he said, giving me his best leer. I blushed again, and I saw the faintest hint of red on Steve’s cheeks as well.

“Stark!” I said, annoyed.

“Or do you want me to stay?” he asked, as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

I was about to tell him to stay, but then I spotted Pepper, who I knew had flown in that morning from the West Coast.

“Leave.” I shoved him. “Now. Look, over there - I think Pepper’s looking for you.”

One of my favourite sights was watching Tony see Pepper after they’d been separated for a while. He grinned with his whole body as he began to move.

“Ok, gotta go,” he said, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t!”

“That doesn’t leave much out,” I grumbled softly, then blushed for a third them when I realised I’d spoken for a third time. _Stupid super soldier hearing._

We stood in silence for a moment, and I was prepared for the awkwardness, for the embarrassing babbling that was sure to follow.

“So, the suit?” Steve asked, and I seized the conversational lifeline tight.

“The suit- of course!” I smiled, knowing Cap had been asking for this addition for a while. “I know you were talking about wanting a night vision mount for your helmet, but that there wasn’t room for it on the current design. Well, I had this idea a few days ago -“ I began outlining my idea for removing a few things on his helmet to add in night vision functionality, and Steve just stood there, for all the world as if I was the most interesting thing in the room.

He offered a few suggestions, things I definitely tried to keep in mind for when Tony and I pulled the helmet apart, and then we got to talking about the new coffee shop next to the Avengers base - I started talking about how I loved the atmosphere there, and he said he loved the place because it was so small-town homey. And then I realised Cap was the person to ask about my ongoing quest for my latest martial art experiment.

I hadn’t realised we’d migrated to the bar until hours later, when the lights were dimmed and I glanced at the clock.

“And oh my goodness it’s three in the morning,” I said, on the tail end of my explanation of how Olympic fencing was artificial, but it helped teach keeping distance and how to act with a blade in hand.

Steve looked over at the clock behind the bar. “So it is.” He looked around. “And we’re the only ones here.”

“I can’t believe you let me talk at you for this long,” I said, my verbal filter long since destroyed.

Steve smiled, warm and slow, and I felt my insides turn to goo. “My pleasure. It’s nice to talk to you outside work.”

I nodded, feeling my cheeks heat again - I’d blushed more tonight than in the past month. “Agreed.” I yawned, suddenly, the lateness of the evening catching up to me in one fell swoop. “Oh my god, I’ve got to be up in four hours.” I sighed. “And by the time I get home,” I started to do the math. A half hour to get back to my house, then a half hour to get to bed, assuming I fell straight asleep, which meant three hours, if that, of sleep… “Guess I’m pulling an all nighter.”

“Want company?” Steve asked unexpectedly, pulling me away from my little reverie on sleep times, the fact I was no longer in my early twenties, and that I’d regret my lack of sleep the next day. He was standing now, offering me a hand. “I think that diner in town’s open 24 hours if you wanted to get coffee.”

“You know what?” I asked, taking his hand and using it to get somewhat gracefully off the stool. “That sounds perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, come and visit me on tumblr - I'm stonegirl77.tumblr.com


End file.
